Writers: Subscribe and send
in your brief bio and your best writing sample (up to 1200 words
total) to
apply
to become a featured
writer. Find free articles and markets to help you get
published. Readers: Find your favorite authors, anthologies,
and other books.

"If you combined the lyricism of Annie Dillard, the vision of
Aldo Leopold, and the gentle but tough-minded optimism of Frank
McCourt, you might come close to Amy Lou Jenkins.Tom Bissell
author of The Father of All Things

"Sentence by sentence, a joy to
read." —Phillip Lopate, Author of
Waterfront

Anthologies online participates in various affiliate programs and most links
to books and products in articles/anthologies/author or any page offer some
referral payment, pay for click or other reimbursement. The payment is
generally pennies per click or purchase. Anthologies online also runs paid ads.The
Anthologiesonline web site and newsletter are provided on an "as is" basis
without any warranties of any kind and disclaim all warranties, including
the warranty
of merchantability, non-infringement of third parties' rights, and the
warranty
of fitness for particular purpose. No person or organization makes any
warranties about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of
the material, services, software text, graphics and links. Any communication is generally considered to be
nonconfidential. See
Privacy Policy.

Maybe you’re one of those lucky writers whose head is bursting with ideas.
Or perhaps you have one idea that’s been nagging you for weeks, always at the
edge of your thoughts. Either way, you’re itching to begin writing. That’s
good. But before you rush headlong into your story, stop and ask yourself one
question: Is this just an idea, or is it a book?

Ideas, of course, are the seeds of any work of fiction or nonfiction. But
until an idea is fully developed, until you can envision its beginning, middle
and end, that one idea might not be enough. The experience of writing for
pages about an idea and ultimately getting nowhere (or getting a pile of
rejections) has taught many writers to outline their books before they begin.
But if the thought of an outline sends shivers up your spine, at least
thinking your idea through and making sure it merits months of writing can
save you future frustration.

Ideas for Fiction

A lot of writers, especially when they’re beginners, get ideas for fiction
from their own lives. This can be useful for several reasons: you’re
emotionally invested in the topic, you can relate directly to the main
character, and if the situation actually happened to you, you’re less likely
to be unconsciously basing the story on a book you’ve read. But remember, just
because you find this thing that happened to you or your child fascinating, it
doesn’t mean it will be fascinating to thousands of potential readers.

Very often, a real-life event is just
that - an event. It’s a vivid scene you recall with pleasure, or a family joke
that’s repeated over and over. It evokes strong emotions when you remember it,
perhaps you even look back on an event as a turning point in your life. But
only rarely does reality provide a plot. When writers stick too closely to
what really happened they fail to develop the elements necessary for a good
story: a believable main character who is faced with a problem or conflict,
mounting tension as that character tries to solve her problem and experiences
setbacks, and a tension-filled climax followed by a resolution that’s
satisfying to the character and the reader. If your main character is really
your son, you might not want to get him in trouble or throw rocks in his path.
But you have to. It’s the only way you’ll create a story that will keep
readers hooked and wondering how it will end.

Speaking of endings, if the resolution of your story comes too easily, it’s
probably obvious and predictable. Try mixing up real life and have the
situation evolve in a different direction. Surprise yourself, and you’ll
surprise an editor.

However you get your idea, focus first on whether it’s a plot or a theme.
Many times, an initial idea is really the underlying meaning of the story,
what the author wants to convey to the reader. Themes should be universal in
their appeal– such as friendship, appreciating one’s own strengths, not
judging others too quickly. Then play around with the sequence of events until
you develop a plot (what actually happens in the book) that makes this theme
clear to the reader. And remember; if you’re using a childhood incident as the
foundation of your story, tell it from your childhood viewpoint, not how it
feels to you now as an adult.

Ideas for Nonfiction

Your nonfiction book should be based on something you’re truly interested in
and passionate about. After all, you’ll be living with this idea for many
months. The key to successful nonfiction is to take your idea and approach it
in a way that no one else has ever done before. This means doing most of your
research before you begin to write. Don’t settle for the most easily-found
information on your topic - your readers have probably read the same
information. Keep digging until you find an aspect to your subject that
strikes you as unique. Then search through the library and book stores to make
sure no one else has already beat you to it.

For a nonfiction idea to become a book, you need enough information to fill
the number of pages necessary, depending on the age group for which you plan
to write. Younger children need a foundation of basic facts, but you can also
get fairly detailed within the scope of the approach you’ve chosen as long as
you explain concepts in a simple and straightforward manner (how animals
hibernate, why insects are different colors). Older readers can draw on a
broader foundation of knowledge, and infer connections between your topic and
related subjects. A detailed outline of any nonfiction book is essential to
help you see if your idea has enough substance and originality, or if you need
further research before you begin writing.

Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, your idea should mean something to you,
but also have the potential to mean a lot to your readers. Think it through,
add to it, take the nonessential elements away, and make sure it has a
beginning, middle and end. Only then will your “idea” turn into “an idea for a
book.”

About the Author

Laura Backes is the author of the just-released “Best Books for Kids Who
(Think They) Hate to Read” from Prima Publishing. She’s also the publisher of
Children’s Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children’s Writers. For more
information about writing children’s books, including free articles, market
tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children’s Book Insider’s home on
the web at http://write4kids.com